With an average benefit of $270 per week, no one is getting rich off unemployment insurance, but even that amount has decreased. According to the laws of most states, once a person becomes unemployed, benefits last for at least 26 weeks. That time can be extended if one is still unable to find work, with a maximum extension of up to 99 weeks. During the economic recession, however, this duration was severely cut in many states. In 2010, roughly 1.4 million people had already used up their benefit period, and about 4 million are expected to end theirs by 2011.

In an average year, the states ask for about $80 million in federal grants to subsidize funding for the unemployed. Though the government hasn’t indulged the amount still available, it has declared that the benefit tenure will end in December 2011. At that point, those who have not exhausted their basic unemployment benefits will not be able to extend them.

Unfortunately this is not a new issue. Long-term unemployment situations have troubled the government fund for years. It is obviously not possible for the government to provide for the unemployed for an indefinite period of time, so the issue needs to be tackled in a different way. If the government is successful in creating new jobs, then more people will be able to support themselves and lessen the government burden. Another option is for the government to set up employment exchanges, where people will be judged on the basis of eligibility and ability to do work, and they will be assigned jobs accordingly.

What do you think? Has this information affected how you’re approaching employment issues in your office?

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In Part I of “Getting the Most Out of Your Employee Performance Review Process” we covered an overview of the benefits to an employee appraisal program. In Part II, we discussed a few common methods for getting the most of your program. In Part III, we provided you with employee performance review tips and strategies that will help the process proceed smoothly. In Part IV, we focus on goal setting and employee performance measurement.

Employee Performance Review: The Goal Setting Process

One of the most important benefits of the employee performance review is the goal setting process. It keeps the employee focused on their goals for the coming year with periodic milestones to measure progress. The manager needs to take into account the employee’s ability, skill level, and potential to form concise, measurable goals that further the company’s agenda. For many managers, the SMART process provides them with the tools needed to formulate professional development goals.

SMART – Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic, Time Bound

• Specific – The goal must be specific in order for a manager to realistically appraise the result. Setting a sales goal of “getting more customers” is difficult to measure while targeting “10 new customers” is specific.

• Measurable – Using the example above, it can be argued that the employee achieved their goal of “getting new customers” if they acquire at least two new customers. However, if the goal was acquiring “10 new customers” then they have fallen well short of the mark.

• Acceptable – To ensure that the goal is acceptable to the employee it is important to involve them in the goal setting process. Participation allows them a say in both their personal and professional development.

• Realistic – The goal must be attainable within the time period stipulated. An unrealistic goal will only cause frustration in the long term.

• Time-Bound – There must be a deadline to attain the goal.

Once the goals are set it may be wise to set a series of quarterly or monthly milestones. This allows managers to keep track of progress and help with any issues that have arisen. In addition, the manager must ensure that the employee is given the resources to achieve the goals. This could include resources such as training, equipment, and staff.

An effective employee performance review is a collaborative event where employer and employee agree on past performance and goal setting for the coming year. If performed effectively, it matches employee goals and aspirations to the needs of the company.

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In Part I of “Getting the Most Out of Your Employee Performance Review Process” we covered an overview of the benefits to an employee appraisal program. In Part II, we discussed a few common performance review methods for getting the most of your program. In Part III, we provide you with employee performance review tips and strategies that will help the process proceed relatively smoothly.

Managers Are the Key to Effective Performance Reviews

The reviewing manager must effectively evaluate the employee’s past performance, provide constructive feedback, and set clear expectations for the coming year. For these reasons, managers are the key to effective performance reviews. The problem is that managers who perform this function once a year never have the opportunity to become efficient with the process. An annual refresher course on how to conduct effective performance reviews by human resources may alleviate this problem.

There are other issues to remedy however. An annual review has managers reaching back in memory when trying to gauge employee performance over the course of the year. This can result in key performance issues being forgotten or skewed due to the effect of time. A manager may take an overall impression of the employee and apply it across the board without regard to actual performance or employee development. Or they may “cherry pick” certain performance indicators and make an overall assumption based on the results. So, how does a manager resolve these issues?

Employee Performance Review Tips and Strategies

• For starters, don’t let the formal annual review process get in the way of effectively communicating with employees over the course of the year. Ongoing dialogue and written communication leaves no doubt about what is expected from both the employee and manager.

• Allow some time between the formal review and the actual submission. This allows you and the employee time to digest the information discussed and come back with questions and clarification.

• Schedule the review ahead of time (no surprises like “Hey, its review time, let’s go) and be sure to explain the process that will be followed.

• Identify problem areas in advance and allow the employee time to prepare a response. Also, don’t start off the meeting discussing problem areas or you risk losing positive interaction with the employee.

• Have employees prepare their own performance review in advance of the meeting. It gives an added perception to the performance appraisal.

The employee review process should be designed around employee development and not just a rating system with a pay raise. To get the most out of employees you must inspire them to perform at a high level. It’s a win-win situation when the employee’s goals and the goals of the company are in sync. In Part IV, we are going to discuss employee goal setting and performance measurement.

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In Part I of “Getting the Most Out of Your Employee Performance Review Process” we covered an overview of the benefits to an employee appraisal program. In Part II, we discuss a few common methods for getting the most of your program.

There is more to the employee performance review process than providing and obtaining feedback. Accenture’s report “Mastering Workforce Performance Appraisal” states that “developing accurate behavioral performance criteria can raise an organization to new performance heights, as increasing the quality of performance criteria can boost the impact of several HR processes.” The question is; how do we reach those new performance heights through our employee appraisal model?

The Employee Appraisal Model

For many companies, the performance review is an annual ritual that measures the employee’s performance and issues a pay raise commensurate with that performance. But is that really enough communication between two parties whose goals are so tightly woven together? Or should there be milestones set with more frequent mini-reviews throughout the year in quarterly or monthly intervals? It need not be a lengthy review but simply a progress report to help ensure that employee goals are met or that corrective action needs to be taken.

An effective employee performance review process may look something like this:

• Develop professional and personal development goals with the employee
• Split those goals into quarterly milestones
• Further divide them into monthly objectives and establish progress updates
• Review employee performance annually and set new objectives for the coming year

I realize for many managers this may seem like a lot of extra work in an already full schedule but results are what are important. It takes a lot less time to explain how your department achieved its goals than to come up with excuses as to why it didn’t. A manager who doesn’t achieve their departmental goals may be susceptible to additional supervision from their boss as well. Take the time with your employees, achieve your departmental goals, and open yourself up to being a results-oriented, promotable manager.

Employee Appraisal Methods

Two of the more popular employee performance review methods are Management-by-Objectives and the 360-degree appraisal method.

Management-by-Objectives (MBO) is a performance appraisal method that sets annual goals for each employee and measures the results of attaining those goals. It attempts to marry the employee’s personal goals with the objectives of the company.

360-Degree Appraisal is a performance review method that obtains feedback from various sources including other departmental managers, peers, suppliers, and customers. This type of performance review provides managers with an overview of how the employee operates within the total organization.

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In Part III, we’re going to discuss performance review tips and strategies and Part IV will provide goal setting strategies and measurement.

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Most business owners and managers agree that the performance review process is a necessary component of the employer/employee relationship. Some companies opt for the annual employee performance review while others perform it more frequently such as quarterly and even monthly. While most managers understand the benefits of the process, there are many who do not look fondly on it. That poses the question: Are companies taking full advantage of the employee performance review process and all of its benefits or are they just going through the motions? In this 4-part series of posts we’re going to cover the benefits of the employee review process and how to get the most out of it.

Overview: Employee Performance Review

In Accenture’s report ‘Mastering Workforce Performance Appraisal’ the authors state that “the quality of an organization’s performance appraisal system has a profound impact on human capital development because performance appraisal is the bedrock of many other human capital processes. Processes such as career development, succession planning and rewards and recognition are dependent upon performance appraisal information.”

In addition to human capital development, the report suggests that the performance appraisal process is a key strategy for high performance achievement. It allows for companies to retain, develop, and promote productive employees that fit within the corporate culture. At the same time, weaker employees can be transitioned into more suitable positions, offered training and development, or let go.

The performance review also offers the opportunity to establish a goal-setting process for the employee. The employee and manager review goal achievement from a prior performance review and set goals for the future. It is the manager’s job to transform the employee’s personal and career goals into company results.

Benefits of the Employee Appraisal

There are numerous benefits to administering an employee performance appraisal. They include:

• Employee and Employer Feedback
• Identifying Employee Training and Development Requirements
• Basis for Personnel Decisions including wage increases, bonuses, promotions, and disciplinary actions
• Assists with Career Development
• Provides a Record of Employee Performance History
• Establishes Employee and Organizational Goals
• Helps Meet HR Legal Requirements
• Establishes Job Standards

Although there are many benefits to the employee performance review process, I believe the one that stands out is employee development. For a company to succeed, not just now but well into the future, it must develop its employees to the best of its ability. That’s how successful companies are built.

In Part II, we’re going discuss a couple of performance review methods and some ideas on how to achieve the best results from them. In Part III, we’re going to discuss performance review tips and strategies and Part IV will provide goal setting strategies and measurement.

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This is an extremely controversial topic; especially for those looking for work or contemplating a job change.

A short time ago, I shared what I thought would be a helpful article with my Facebook friends and family, alerting them to the fact that more employers are using social media sources such as Facebook as part of their decision making process when hiring.  The article highlighted the importance of not putting anything on a social media site that you would not want your current or potential employer to see.

Here’s what I wrote:

“Be careful how you use Facebook and Twitter. Hiring managers are checking social networking sites more often as part of their reference checking process. Any inappropriate or questionable content can rule you out as a candidate if you are looking for a job”.

Some of the comments that I received were fascinating:

…”you just can’t get a break, can you?”

…”isn’t there some sort of privacy infringement here?”

“Facebook and Twitter are social outlets and employers shouldn’t be trespassing on one’s personal life”

“…where do we draw the line?”

“If a company cannot solely use my cover letter, resume and how I respond during an interview as an apparatus to make a decision, than I really should think twice about wanting to working for that company.”

As you can see, some potential candidates view the use of Twitter and Facebook as “infringement” and “trespassing” on what is seen as a personal and private resource where they should be free to be who they are with friends and family.  There is the strong belief that what is discussed on Facebook is no measure of the person that they are on the job, and therefore it should not be used to measure behavior when working.

Do we not take on a different persona depending on the audience or environment?  Is the professional and focused person that we are when we are at work the same person that we are when we are interacting with our family and friends in an informal environment?

Some argue that is natural to have different personas depending on our environment and whom we are engaged with.  Some may also argue that we should not be judged because we are letting our hair down through a medium that was set up for us to do just that.  Essentially, a medium that in a very public way, allows us to share our everyday pleasures and disappointments with those we chose to share these feelings with.

Yet isn’t the information on the Internet public domain? If a person chooses to post on a public domain site, do employers not have the right to access the site in order to “see another side” of a potential employee?

I don’t profess to have the right answers on this subject but I do have some very specific advice. Employers should not use social media as the only source of reference information on potential employees.  It’s important to get a rounded view of potential candidate’s by checking both current employer references and past references.

It’s also important for employers to weigh the content that they are seeing on the site and not make rash judgments with the exception of content that is clearly inappropriate.

For those looking for work, the new reality is that employers are using social media as part of their job reference process in order to get a “360” degree view of a potential hire.

The types of posts that can potentially rule you out as a candidate are posts with inappropriate language or pictures. Or posts that are derogatory or demeaning in any way.  Employers are also looking for how you communicate online so be careful of grammar and spelling errors. Never use the Internet to post disparaging remarks about your current or former employers.

Delete anything that may be questionable before looking for a new job.   Don’t lose sight of the fact that you are conversing on the Internet and not at the kitchen table.  Remember that others have access to your information.

Make sure that you utilize all of the privacy options allowed with social media sites if you have concerns about who will be viewing your profile.

Use of social media sites are growing by leaps and bounds daily.  Parts of our lives that were once very private really are available for all to review if you chose to participate in social media sites on the Internet.  Both employers and potential employees need to be mindful of the power of this new medium and not abuse it.  Proceed with caution.

Dianne Shaddock is the Founder of Easy Small Business HR.com, a website which provides “Quick and Simple Human Resources Strategies for Small Businesses, Non Profits, and Entrepreneurs.

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Notice: Arizona businesses who do work for the US Government

A business coalition, including the U.S. Chamber and SHRM, has lost in its effort to have a court overturn the federal regulation requiring federal contractors to start using the E-Verify Program for federal contracts that are entered into or modified after September 8, 2009.  The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Maryland on August 26, 2009, turned down all arguments raised by the plaintiffs and has opened the door for the rule to be applicable as planned on September 8, 2009. There is no word on whether or not the decision will be appealed.  The USCIS Web site has a federal contractor page as well as a series of Q&As on the rule that explains its provisions and application.

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is launching a bold, new audit initiative today by issuing Notices of Inspection (NOIs) to 652 businesses nationwide – which exceeds the total number ICE issued throughout all of last fiscal year. The notices alert business owners that ICE will be inspecting their hiring records to determine whether or not they are complying with employment eligibility verification laws and regulations. Inspections are one of the most powerful tools the federal government has to enforce employment and immigration laws. This new initiative illustrates ICE’s increased focus on holding employers accountable for their hiring practices and efforts to ensure a legal workforce.

“ICE is committed to establishing a meaningful I-9 inspection program to promote compliance with the law. This nationwide effort is a first step in ICE’s long-term strategy to address and deter illegal employment,” said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for ICE John Morton.

Department of Homeland Security

Employers are required to complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This form requires employers to review and record the individual’s identity document(s) and determine whether the document(s) reasonably appear to be genuine and related to the individual.

In FY 2008, ICE issued 503 similar notices throughout the year. In April, ICE implemented a new, comprehensive strategy to reduce the demand for illegal employment and protect employment opportunities for the nation’s lawful workforce. Under this strategy, ICE is focusing its resources on the auditing and investigation of employers suspected of cultivating illegal workplaces by knowingly employing illegal workers. The nationwide initiative being launched today is a direct result of this new strategy.

The 652 businesses being presented with NOIs for a Form I-9 audit have been selected for inspection as a result of leads and information obtained through other investigative means. Due to the ongoing, law enforcement sensitive nature of these audits, the names and locations of the businesses will not be released at this time.  If you receive a notice, you should consult with your counsel. However, best practices would require that you: a) respond promptly (or obtain an extension of time to do so), b) do not take any action which could be viewed as tampering with the I-9s or underlying documents, c) initiate an internal review of your practices and an audit, and d) maintain copies of all information and documents provided to DHS.

Note that while you can always take action as to deficient I-9s after you respond to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), you should date such action as of the date taken and not backdate signatures or alter documents.

For guidance or assistance with hiring practices click here to speak to professionals.

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